Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-18
A Trip to Reynolds County.

Having been asked by School Commission
er, l.. o. Neider, Esq, of Reynolds county,
to conduct n Normal Institute at Centreville,
beginning on LIST of August and to continue
one week, left Arcadia for Sabula July 31st.
Arriving there about :45 P. NJ. found
awaiting me a comfortable conveyance in
charge of Reynolds enthusiastic school COM
missioner. Properly obeyIng his summons
to take seat by him in SAID vehicle, we
started for our destination. Though the
afternoon was hot and the ride a long and
rough one, our jolly companion rendered the
heat endurable and the distance compare
lively short. Here must say word in be-
half of Mr.. Neider's skill as driver. was
thoroughly convinced before reaching Cen
treville that as a coachman he is first-class,
in as much as he hit every root, rock and
| stump in the road between Sabula and Cen
| trevile. When about half way to our OBJ
| jective point, we were oyertaKen by storm.
The fact that nothing more was said by either
| of us about extreme heat was evidence that
we were "cooled off," Extending through
belt of some ten miles there was heavy
rain which was greatly needed as shown by
the stirring" of corn and the wilted condition
of vegetation in general In and around Cen
treville, there was no rain and has not been
for five or six weeks and vegetation, especl
ally corn, is almost literally burnt up.
On Monday morning about O'Clock l made
my way to the school building where the
Normal was to be conducted. AS the school
house, premises, furniture, &C., connected
herewith, constitute a good index to the
educational spirit of the people of place, /
was upon entering the building favorably
impressed. With the exception of the court
house the schoolhouse is one of the best
buildings in the place..
We had good attendance Of teachers and
a large "turn out" of visitors. The interest
increased from the first day aud Friday the
day of the close was the best. We had four
night sessions which were largely attended.
At these, with the exception of one, we had
lectures which were followed by general dis
cussions of the subject presented by the lee
turer. The discussions were animated and
seemed to have been much enjoyed. AT the
request of several members of the Institute
one evening was set apart for debate. The
question selected was somewhat foreign to
Institute work and was selected by the teach
ers merely on the grounds of its being de-
batable. II was: "Should Missouri have law
prohibiting the manufacture and sale of in
toXicating liquors." Among others, several
lawyers participated in the discussion. The
question was good naturally and ably dis
cussed. As might have been expected the
prohibitionists decided that the affirmative
were entitled TO the decision and the anti
prohibitioniss the contrary.
During the entire session the teachers
manifested great interest in the Institute
work and as an evidence of their earnestness
determined to have another next summer of
at least one months duration.
In no place did I eyer see more interest
manifested in Normal Institute.
Reynolds county lacks only railroad
through her center to he among the best
counties in Southeast Missouri.
1t has never been my pleasure before to
see so many beautiful springs and such large
ones as saw while in Reynolds. Some of
them afford sufficient water to operate ma.
chinery. visited one about one mile below
Centreville which is said to be the largest on
Black River. IL boils out from under a great
rock on the mountain side about one hundred
yards from the river. The ebullition some
what resembles the boiling of water in an
immense caldron. The distance across the
stream as it flows from beneath the rock is
probably fifteen or twenty. 1t is as trans
parent as the atmosphere, and IN tempera.
ture ice-cold. The water is damned and con-
veyed into mill-race and untilIzed in run
ming mill not more than thirty yards from
the spring.
/ have nothing but pleasant recolections of
my weeks stay in our sister county-Rey-
nolds. record it as among the green spots
of my life. Some of the witty readers of this,
should there be any so pressed for reading
matter as to peruse it,must not interpret this
as meaning greenness displayed by the writ
er there or the persons contributing so much
to the pleasure of his story, but fguratively
speaking it is an oasis in the desert of life.
In accordance with previous arrangements
by the Institute gentleman rode up to my
boarding place Saturday morning leading
prancing steed which 1 was requested to
mount for Sabula. Bidding adieu to l,with
a heart expressibly. full of thankfulness to the
people and especially the efficient and pro-
gressive School Commissioner, for their hos
pitality and assistance in making the Insti- |
tute a success, obeyed the summons of nv |
friend to compare equestrian skill for dis.
lance of twenty miles. JOHN B. SCOTT.